Bail ear for pails



July 30, 1935- c. H. RoLLASoN 2,009,680

Patented July 30, 1935 A UNITED STATES PATENTl FFICE -BAILEAILFOEPAILSsteel caminan, Wham,

towlleellng This invention relates broadly to sheet metal pails. andmore speciilcally to a-bail ear for such pails.

The primary object of the invention ls to provide a pail embodying bailears which are attached rigidly to the body without the provision in thelatter of apertures for their reception and without the use of solder orother separate attaching devices.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bail attaching ear forpails which is mounted on the pail body in such manner that allpossibility of leakage of the contents of the pail at or adjacent to theear is positively eliminated, and also that no extraneous parts ormaterial are required to maintain the attached relation between the earand the body.

In describing the invention in detail, reference is herein had to theaccompanying drawing, in which- A Figure 1 is a fragmentary sideelevation of a pail embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a section on line 2 2, Fig. 1;

Figures 3 and 4 are sectional views oi' the pail body and of two sets ofdies illustrating the two successive steps employed in preparing saidbody for the reception of an ear;

Figure 5 is asimilar view illustrating a third set of dies positioned ininitial ear-attaching position;

Figureisasimilarviewshowingsaidthird set of dies in final ear-attachingposition.

Referring to said drawing, l designates the body'of a sheet metal pail,and 2 a bail of usual form designedto be attached to said body throughtheintermediacyof oppositely disposed ears, as hereinafter set forth.The bail ear, indicated generally by the reference numeral l, is formedof sheet metal which, for reasons which will hereinafter be madeapparent, is preferably of heavier gauge than that of which said pailbody is formed.

The ear 3, as initially formed for attaching to the pail body, is ofsubstantially bell shape, comprising a shallow concave, or cup-like,body having a circumferential outwardly flared skirt 4, as shown in Fig.5. Said initially formed ear is designed to be seated in a socket-likecavity provided therefor and preferably Pressed inwardly in the pailbody, following which it and the pail body are simultaneously subjectedto the action of companion dies or die members whereby the ilared skirtI thereof is flattened out into annular flange form or caused to assumea position at arightangletotheearbody,and,inso assumingrits ilattenedform, said ilange expands the cavity-forming walls by which it isencircled and disposes itselfwithin the close embrace of acircumferential fold which preferably lies inwardly of and substantiallyparallel to the body wall of the pail, as also in more or less clolyseated l relation to the interior wall of said pail, as shown in Fiss. 2and 8.

To prepare the pail body I 'for the application thereto of the bail ear,upper and lower die members t and 'l are provided, the former having 10thereon a projecting. knob l of approximately semi-spherical form andthe latter having therein a seat or socket 9 of corrponding form.asshown in Fig. 3. Said die members are employed for forming in the pailbody at each of two ap- 15 propriately located diametrically oppositepoints an inwardly indented or concave portion Il, such formation of theconcave portion l0 constituting the ilrst operation. Following this rstoperation, the metal of said body at and adjacent to said 20 concaveportion is subjected to a second pressing, or drawing, operation inwhich are employed Vupper and lower die members Il and I2, the formerhaving on its face a short and substantially cylindrical projectingportion Il and having formed 25 in its said face in encircling relationto the base of said portion Il a shallow groove or channel I4. The faceof the lower die member l2 is provided with a shallow cylindrical socketI l substantlally corresponding in form and size to the o portion I3 ofthe upper die Il, and formed on said face in encircling relation to saidsocket I5 is a projecting circular rib li which substantiallycorresponds in shape and size with the ,channel Il of the upper die. Inthe second operation above referred to, the form of the socket S and theadjacent marginal portion of the wall I are altered to the extent thatthere is formed a shallow inwardly directed cylindrical depression I1having a substantially flat bottom and defined o at its open end by anoutwardly pressed circular ribor bead I8,asshowninFig. 4.

The interior diameter of the depression I1 corresponds substantiallywith that of the outer edge of the skirt 4 of the ear 3, which latter isadapted 45 to be seated in said deprsion, as shown in Fig.

5, preliminary to subjecting the above-described parts of the structm'eto the action of upper and lower die members t9 and 20. Said upper diemember has formed in its face a socket 2| adapt- 50 ed to conformablyreceive therein the body of the preliminarily shaped ear 3, the depth ofsaid A socket being such that, when the die member assumes the positionshown in Fig. 5, the angle formed between the substantially flat faceand the socket 2| of said die member engages the ear approximately atthe line of junction between the ear body and the skirt. The face of thelower die member 2l, herein shown as fiat, has the metal constitutingthe flat bottom of the depression I'l resting thereon as it isapproached by the descending upper die member |I,asshowninsaidFig.5.Assaidearbodyis depressed by the said descending die member, the flaredskirt I of said ear is gradually thrust outward until, in the fullyseated position of said die members, it assumes a flattened position ata right angle to the axis of said ear body, forming aange-N,asshowninFig. 6. As itisthus thrust outward, the metal forming saidflange 22 gradually forces in advance thereof the cylindricaldepression-defining wall of the pail body and utilizes a portion of themetal of the rib Il, as also the increased tendency of the metalembodied in said rib to bend by reason of its curved bead formation. Atthe limit of the descending stroke of the die member I9, the iiange 22has its opposite surfaces closely embraced by the inner and outermembers of the fold 5, which latter is preferably seated against 'theadjacent ear-encircling wall of the pail body, as shown in Fig. 6.Moreover, the cooperating die members act at the limit of theear-attaching reciprocation of the upper of said members to completelyreturn the remainder, or any unutilized, portion of said rib I8 to theplane of the body wall of the pail.

Manifestly, due to the relatively heavy gauge of the metal of which theear 3 is formed, the formation of the fold i as the skirt l is flattenedinto fiange form is readily effected.

It is to be noted that the herein described shaping of the pail bodypreliminary to applying the ear thereto requires but two simple pressingoperations, and also thatthe act of applying the ear is accomplished ina single operation. lloreover, as is apparent, the ear as herein setforth is so rigidly and permanently attached as to resist practicallyany ordinary force tending to detach it, applied in any direction, sincethe ear issecuredtothepaiiwailthroughonttheentire circumference of theear.

What is claimed isi. In combination, a sheet metal pail body and a bailear therefor having a rim portion forcooperationwiththepailbody,thepailbodyhav ing an inward fold and aninwardly directed ear holding portion connected with said fold andhaving an integral base extending thereacross, said'base being natthroughout, and maintained under tension, said rim portion of the earbeing disposed in said ear holding portion.

2. Incombinatiomasheetmetalpailbodyand a bail ear therefor having a rimportion for cooperation withthepailbodyandagenerally outwardly extendingbody portion, the pail body having an inward fold and an inwardlydirected ear holding portion connected with said fold and having anintegral base extending thereacross which is maintained under. tensionwith respect to said fold, said rim portion of the ear being disposed insaid ear holding portion.

3. In combination, a sheet metal pail body and a bail ear thereforhaving a rim portion and a generally outwardly extending body portion,the pail body being imperforate and having an inwardly drawn ear holdingportion, said rim portion of the ear being disposed in said ear holdingportion, the material of said pail body within said ear holding portionopposite the bail ear beingdisposedinitsentiretyatleastasremotefromtheaxisofthepailbodvastheinnerpart of said ear holding portion whichis in engagement with the ear.

CHARLES H. ROILABON.

